You are here

Fifteenth Episode of “Diplomatic Cable” features Thomas Wright, Director of the Center on the United States and Europe and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution

WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released a Diplomatic Cable episode with Thomas Wright, Director of the Center on the United States and Europe and a Senior Fellow in the Project on International Order at Brookings Institution. A thought leader on U.S. foreign policy, grand strategy, and President Trump’s worldview, Tom is also a contributing writer at The Atlantic and the author of All Measures Short of War: The Contest for the Twenty-First Century and the Future of American Power. The episode centers on the argument that the U.S. has retreated from its traditional leadership standing in the global order, what that means for the G20 summit this week, and how the Trump Administration continues to undermine multilateral organizations and redefine diplomacy—or lack thereof.

“Looking ahead to the President’s upcoming trip to G20 this week and on his most recent trip to Europe, we’re once again confronted with the future of our international engagement and a total lack of diplomacy in our international relations,” said host Rep. Castro. “On this episode, I sat down with prolific thought leader Thomas Wright to unpack the effects of authoritarianism, fair competition and zero-sum nationalistic policies on our relationships with our allies, adversaries and our standing in the global economy.”

Thomas Wright said on the episode: “There are two Trump policies: There’s the Trump foreign policy for the Administration and then there’s the President’s foreign policy. When abroad and on these significant (and risky) trips, that contradiction becomes clear. We need to have an agreement and a belief system that focuses on the major issues that people are really concerned about in the global economy.”

Future episodes of the Diplomatic Cable will include discussions with Wendy Cutler, Vice President and Managing Director of the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI), and many other experts, practitioners, Members of Congress and American citizens. Episodes will focus on repercussions of U.S. foreign policy in the 116th Congress, the consequences of a rising China, escalating tensions in the Middle East, the crisis in American diplomacy and development, cyber diplomacy, and many other issues.